Heating and lighting cars



(No Model.)

T. SAUNDERS & W. H. PATTON.

I HEATING AND LIGHTING (JARS. No. 394,018. Patented Dec. 4; 18 8.

Q o a a Q o a a o a a a o a W S WITNES ES: R: m5. flu J I u BY ATTORNEYS.

I UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SAUNDERS AND \YILLIAM HEXRY PATTON, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

HEATING AND LIGHTING CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,018, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed May 26, 1887. Serial No. 239,487. (No model.)

T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS SAUNDERS and WILLIAM HENRY PATTON, of Pueblo, in the county of Iueblo and State of Colorado, have in vented a new and useful Improvement in Heating and Lighting Cars, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to novel means for lighti'i'ig and heating railroad-cars with gas; and the im 'lrovement consists, in general terms, in the conibimttion, with a main storage-reservoir provided with a pressure-regulatin g valve located upon one of the cars to supply gas for lighting and heating the other cars of the train, of a smaller or auxiliary reservoir located upon each of the cars to be lighted charged with gas from the main or storage reservoir, and flexible pipe-connections, automatic valves and couplings for connecting the reservoir-pipes of one car with those of another car, as will hereinafter appear, and in certain other details of construction hereinafter particularly described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accoinpanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the car carrying the main storage-reservoir, with a portion of the car broken away; and Fig. 2,a similar view of one of the passenger-cars provided with our improved apparatus, as will hereinafter appear.

The main storage reservoir A is located upon one of the forward cars, I of the train, preferably the baggage or :mail car, and is connected with an automatic pressure-regulator valve, O, through pipes D, which extend. from said regulator-valve and run under each car from end to end thereof.

The ends of the pipes D are connected between the cars by tlcxiblepipcs E and couplings E, similar to those used in connecting the pipes of air-brakes. The pipes D are connected by branch pipes I) with the gas fixtures and burners G, controlled, respectively, by valves K and L. Stop-valves II, at the ends of the pipes I), serve to open and close communication with each car. A stop-valve, I, between the rcsm-voi r F and pipes D, permits the said reservoir to be cut off from the gassupply pipes I) I), when desired. The main stiirage-reservoir has valves ll for the escape of accumulations in said reservoir, a valve, M,

through which the reservoir may be charged with gas, and a gage, N, to indicate the press are therein. The valves ll are connected by chains ll with the ad oining car of a train to close the said valves automatically when the couplings and connections are broken by the separation of the cars at the time of an accident.

The main storage-rcservoir A is capable of carrying a sulticicnt quantity of gas under high pressure to heat and light an ordinary train of cars while in transit between the supply-stations, where gas can be conveniently procured, and is charged by the use of an ordinary compression,-pun1p attached to any gas supply or main. The pressure-gage upon the reservoir will indicate when the required pressure therein is attained, and when the cars are coupled together and the gas is being consumed the pressure-regulat or valve secured to the storagereservoi 1' will open by the reduction of pressure in the delivery-pipes below a determined minimum, and maybe of any well-known or preferred construction.

The d elivei v-pipes supply the burners from the main storagereservoir when the train is made up, and gas is supplied to said burners from the auxiliary reservoirs when the cars are side-tracked or disconnected from the rest of the train.

In case of a wreck or accident to the train the cars will become uncoupled or telescoped in such manner as to break the connections between the pipe-couplings and instantly extinguish the lights and fires. \Vhen the cars separate, the chain from the platform to the valve upon the adjoining car will close said valve and will extinguish the lights, after which they may be relighted by opening conrmunication with the auxiliary reservoir beneath the car.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the auxiliary reservoir F, charged at the supply-points in like manner to the main reservoir, is shut oit by valve I, which latter is similar to the pressure-regulator valve employed on the main storage-tank from communication with the service-pipe D, except when. the car carrying the same is side-tracked or is otherwise broken out of a train except in case of accident. In running the trains the valves I of the auxiliary reservoirs are closed, so that in case of accident and closure of the valves H, in the manner before de scribed, the lights and fires will be instantly extinguished, thus avoiding the danger of setting fire to the car or cars.

lVe claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a system of lighting and heating cars, the combination of a storage-reservoir located upon a car at one end of the train provided with a pressure-regulatin g valve, with the distributing and gas-supply pipes, the burners, and auxiliary reservoirs beneath said cars, and the valves H, having a connection With the contiguous cars, whereby the ends of the supply-pipes are automatically closed when I the connections between the cars are broken,

substantially as herein described.

2. In a system of lighting and heating cars,

ary reservoir connected with said servicepipe, a valve between said pipe and auxiliary reservoir, and valves at the ends of the cars, said valves being connected with the co11tig uous cars, whereby they are automatically closed upon the parting of the cars, substantially as herein described.

THOMAS SAUNDERS. WILLIAM HENRY PATTON.

Vitnesses:

V. B. GRAY, J OE O. ELWELL, 

